IAFP Announces 2026 Award Recipients

Tuesday, May 12, 2026

Des Moines, Iowa - The International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) will present awards recognizing excellence in food safety to the following organizations and individuals at IAFP 2026, July 26–29, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The IAFP Fellow Award is awarded to professionals who have contributed to IAFP and its affiliates with distinction over an extended period of time. This year’s recipients are Lee-Ann Jaykus, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (Professor Emerita); Kali Kniel, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware; Alejandro Mazzotta, Chobani, New York, New York; and Panagiotis Skandamis, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

James Dickson, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa (retired), will be awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award. This award, given at the discretion of the IAFP President, recognizes an individual who has made a lasting impact on Advancing Food Safety Worldwide® through a lifetime of professional achievements in food protection.

The Honorary Life Membership Award will be presented to Robert Brackett, IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group/IEH Academy, Herndon, Virginia; Mariza Landgraf, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil (retired);Eric Martin, Texas Roadhouse, Louisville, Kentucky; Kelly Stevens, General Mills, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Tori Stivers, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (retired).

The Harry Haverland Citation Award will be awarded to Panagiotis Skandamis, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece, for his years of devotion to the ideals and objectives of the Association.

EpiX Analytic, Fort Collins, Colorado, will receive the Food Safety Innovation Award, recognizing a transformative approach to controlling Salmonella.

The International Leadership Award will be presented to Deon Mahoney, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (retired), for his dedication to the high ideals and objectives of IAFP and for promotion of the mission of the Association in countries outside of the United States and Canada.

Lone Jespersen, Cultivate SA, Hauterive, Switzerland, will receive the Food Safety Award in recognition of a long history of outstanding contributions to food safety.

The Frozen Food Foundation Freezing ResearchAward will be presented to Lee-Ann Jaykus, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina (Professor Emerita). This award honors an individual, group, or organization for preeminence and outstanding contributions in research that impacts food safety attributes of freezing.

The Maurice Weber Laboratorian Award will be presented to Jessica Chen, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, to recognize her service for outstanding contributions in the laboratory and recognizing a commitment to the development of innovative and practical analytical approaches in support of food safety.

Jingqiu Liao, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, will be presented with the Larry Beuchat Young Researcher Award. This award is presented to a young researcher who has shown outstanding ability and professional promise in the early years of his or her career.

The James M. Jay Diversity in Food Safety Award will be presented to Daniel Weller, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Decatur, Georgia. This award recognizes an individual who has made exceptional contributions to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of food safety.

Renata Ivanek, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, is the recipient of the Ewen C.D. Todd Control of Foodborne Illness Award. This award recognizes an individual for dedicated and exceptional contributions to the reduction of risks of foodborne illness.

The Harold Barnum Industry Award will be presented to Bala Kottapalli, The Marzetti Company, Omaha, Nebraska, to recognize his outstanding service to the public, IAFP, and the food industry.

Mary Anne Amalaradjou, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, is the recipient of the Elmer Marth Educator Award. This award recognizes her outstanding service to IAFP, the public, and the arena of education in food safety and protection.